Hinge joint



W. G. WEHRMAN.

HINGE JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, m9. I

- Patented June 13,1922.-

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Bowen for w-. e. WEHRMAN.

, v HlNGE 1mm. I v i APPLICATION man mm: 16. 1919.

Patented June 13, 1922.

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Wit/masses: Y wi h M WILLIAM'G. WEHRMAN, OF LUDLOW, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO CHRISTIAN KEGK, OF

CRESCENT SPRINGS, KENTUCKY.

HINGE JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J1j ne 13 1922.

Application filed June 16, 1919;, Serial No. 304,484.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. VVEHR- MAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Ludlow, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hinge- Joints, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to hinges and joints for various purposes, and more particularly to oints for artificial limbs, and especially to the knee-joints of artificial legs.

The object of my invention is to provide a more substantial and durable joint of this kind and to facilitate the manufacture of such a joint whereby its working parts may be very accurately formed and fitted together in an economical manner.

My invention consists in the combination of parts, in the details of construction and arrangement of parts, and in the new and improved article of manufacture, as will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed. 7

Inthe drawings: v

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of an artificial limb provided with joints embodying my invention;

Fig. .2 is an outer-side elevation of one of,

the joints;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same;

'Fig. 1 is a partial inner-side elevation of the same;

Fig: 5 is a partial rear elevation of the same;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the bar from which the hinge members aremade, the dotted lines representing a special-milling cutter as used for cutting the'bar to complete the two separate members:

Fig. 7 is a partial side elevation of the bar just after being forged and before any machining has beendone;

Fig. 8 is a partial front elevation of the same;.'

Figi 9 is an enlarged detail outside elevation of the shaft-cup; r 1

'Fig'. 10 is a front elevation of the same;

' Fig. 11 is an inside elevation of the same;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail outside eleva tion of the screw-cup; V 1

Fig. 13 is a front elevation of the'same;

Fig. 14. is an inside elevation of the same;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged side elevation of the meeting ends of the two hinge members ready to receive the shaft-cup and the screwcup;

Fig. 16 is an enlarged cross-section on a vertical plane through the center on the joint;

Fig. 17 is .a similar view illustrating a modification. f

- For the purpose of exemplifying my invention I have illustrated it as applied to the hinge-joint of an artificial leg compris ing the upper socket 1 and lower socket and foot member, 2. As is' well known in the construction of devices of this character, these members are joined together to .form a knee-joint by means of I hinge joints at opposite sides with the pivots of the oints approximately alined across the leg. Each such joint comprises a hinge member with a shank extending up and secured to the respective side of the socket 2, which is generally of leather or other strong flexible material, in a suitable pocket 3 stitched to the material of the socket 1, and another hinge member having a shank extending down and fixed in the lower socket or foot member 2 as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Such a hinge joint is shown hereinas embodying my lnvention. I

, It comprises the upper hinge member 4 with the shank 5 and the lower hinge member 6 with the shank 7 The members 4 and 6 are properly bent back where they are to be pivoted together; the conformation of these bent parts varying in different limbs, and that herein illustrated being simply one example. It will be understood that my invention may be embodied in any of these joints whatever the particular curvature required in the hinge members or whatever other vartions there may be in the shape and proportions of the members and their shanks, as is well known in the art of constructing artificial limbs or as may be necessary in adapting my invention to uses other than in artificial limb-joints. As herein shown, each shank 5 and 7 is tapered from near the pivot joint out to its end as clearly seen'in Fig. 3; and it will be understood that this tapering may vary" under various circumstances just as stated for the bending.

Whatever may be the shape, proportion or circles and the extreme end parts 10 of the member 4, and 11 of the member 6, are sub stantially straight and radial to these arcs:

Also there are inclined end parts 12 of the members 4, and 13 of the member 6', also radial to these arcs. In betweenthe two end parts 10 and 12 of'the member 4 is a hollow journal-bearing part 14 and between the two end parts 11 and 13 of the other member 6 is a similar hollow journal-bearing part 15.

These two members 4 and 6 have these grooves, ends and bearing parts so positioned on them that if they are brought together either with their extreme ends 10 and 11 meeting or with their inclined ends 12 and 13 meeting, their grooves 8 and 9 at elther side will conform to the same arc and their journal-bearing parts 14 and 15 will be concentric with these grooves.

As shown in Fig. 16 the grooves 8 and 9 are of rectangular cross-section. A shaftcup comprises the central shaft part 16 which has a bearing fit in the journal-bearing parts 14 and 15 of the ends of the two members 4 and 6, and the cup part 17 whose rim 18 extends in concentric with the shaft part 16 and has a bearing fit in the grooves 8 and 9 in the adjacent sides of the members 4- and 6. This rim 18 is of rectangular crosssection'to nicely fit the grooves. The shaft part 16 does not extend quite through its journal-bearing to the other sides of the members. It has a central internally threaded opening 19 entirely through it from this end out through the face of the cup 17, which latter has radial grooves or kerfs 20 at opposite sides of this threaded opening 19.

A screw-cup comprises the screw 21 which screws into the opening 19 of the shaft part 16, andthe cup part 22 similar to the cup part 17 in having an inwardly extending rim 23 of rectangular cross-section having a nice bearing fit in the grooves 8 and 9 in the opposite'sides of the members 4 and 6. The outer side of this cup part 22 has the slot or 'kerf 24 diametrically across it. This screw-cup has its screw 21 screwed -into the shaft part 16 where the latter extends through the members 4 and 6, until the rims 1 8 and 23 of the'cupparts are drawn snugly into their respective grooves. The screw 21 is considerably shorter than the opening 19. WVhen the parts have reachedjthese relative positions a lock-screw 25 is screwed into the empty parts of the opening 19 at the other side until it is drawn tightly against the end of the screw part 21, having a slot" 26 in its outer end for engagement of a screw-driver for this purpose. The slots 20 and 24 in the cup parts 17 and 22 are'for receiving the screw-driver in drawing the shaft-cup and screw-cup as closely to the members 4 and 6 as may be needed to give them a firm, yet freely movable bearing on these parts; and then these screwed together parts are locked in this adjustment by meansof the lockscrew 25.

In the modification of Fig. 17 the con struction is the same as just described except that the grooves 8 and 9 .are not of:

rectangular cross-section but have their radially inner sides inclined radially inward from the bottom of the groovelaterally outwardly and the rims.18and 23' of the cups 17 and 22 have their radially inward sides correspondingly inclined, By having these inclined surfaces the wear in the joint, both in radial and lateral directions, can be compensated for by simply screwing the shaftcup and screw-cup closer together.

In an artificial limb-such as shown in the drawing, the two joints are. right and left in the sense that the locking-screw .25 or tapered plug 28 should be at the outside pi the joint where it is most readily accessie. tion of the shaft-cups in opposite directions in the respective joints of the same leg; and does not ordinarily involve any difference of formation of the hinge members themselves. Where this is necessary it may be provided for by making the differently formed members in different lots. It is, of course, necessary to insert a screw-clriver, or the like, in the slot 24 of the screw-cup 22, as well as one in the slot 20 of the shaft cup 17, when drawing the two together, or in the locking-screw 25 or screw plug 28 when locking the adjusted parts. But it.

will be understood that this screw-driver, or the like, may be applied to theslot24 in the screw-cup 22 at the inner side of the joint This, however, merely involves inserwhen the leg is removed from the person,

since these legs are usually made fully openat the knee-joint, as in the'example-shown in Fig. 1, thereby. readily admitting the,

screw-driver or necessary tool. to the inner sides of the joints for the purposes just described. These preferred constructions and formations and modes ofoperation andadjustment are mentioned as usual ones, but it' will be understood that many other circumstances may be involved indifferent applications of the device to different artificial limbs or in other uses to which the jointmay be adapted. V

Therefore, while certain constructionalidetails are deemed preferable in connection withmy invention, and I have shown. and described these rather specifically in "elucidating the construction and use of myinvention, as is required, I do not wish to be understood as being limited to such precise showing and description, but having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hinge-joint, hinge members each having concentric bearing surfaces facing in different directions on a given radius at oposite lateral sides, a detachable cup havmg a shaft receiving the bearing surfaces of the two members facing in corresponding direction, and having a rim receiving the other bearing surfaces of the two members at one side of the joint, and a detachable cup having means to fasten it to said shaft and having arim receiving the other bearing surfaces of the two members at the other side of the joint, substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

2. In a hinge-joint, hinge members each having concentric bearing surfaces facing in different directions on a given radius at opposite lateral sides, a detachable cup having a shaft receiving the bearing surfaces of the two members facing in corresponding direction, and having a rim receiving the other bearing surfaces of the two members at one side of the joint, and a detachable cup having a screw threaded axially through said shaft and having a rim receiving the other bearing surfaces of the two members at the other side of the joint, substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

3. In a hinge-joint, hinge members each having concentric bearing surfaces facing in different directions on a given radius at op.

posits lateral sides, a detachable cup having a shaft receiving the bearing surfaces of the two members facing in corresponding direction, and having a rim receiving the other shaft, substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

4. In a hinge-joint, hinge members each having concentric bearing surfaces facing in different directions on a given radius at opposite lateral sides, a detachable cup having a shaft receiving the bearing surfaces of the two members facing in corresponding direction, and having a rim receiving the other bearing surfaces of the two members at one side of the joint, a detachable cup having a screw threaded axially through said shaft and having a rim receiving the other bearing surfaces of the two members at the other side of the joint, the ends only of the hinge members abutting each other to limit the degree of relative pivotal movement of said members, substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

5. A pair of hinge members each having concentric bearing surfaces facing in different directions on a given radius, said bearing surfaces having been turned thereon while said members were comprised in a single piece which was severed through said bearings, whereby the two members are adapted to be accurately pivoted together by unitary concentric means engaging said bearing surfaces of both members.

IVILLIAM G. WEHRMAN.

Witnesses:

JAMES N. RAMSEY, CLARENCE PERDEW. 

